Lots of symptoms

[shoupaloop]

Hello everyone,


I am new to this forum and I've searched for a lot of my issues on this forum but now I am stumped. I have a
2000 Nissan Pathfinder with 4-wheel drive. Recently, it started idling rough and would even stall while driving. I replaced a few things all at once to see if I could take care of it myself. Parts replaced: spark plugs, wires, distributor cap, distributor rotor button ( I think that's what it's called ) air filter, and fuel filter. It ran wonderful for a couple days then, started returning to rough starts and stalling out.

Rough Start: In the morning when I first start it up, it usually starts up on the second try. If turned off and restarted within an hour, it will not start. Must wait for the car to cool off in order for it to restart again.


Stalls Out: When I put the car in Drive, first thing in the morning, it wants to stall unless I give it gas. Once I get it moving, it will only go with light throttle, if I push down any harder, it begins to stall. Too much throttle makes it stall.
I have done a lot to troubleshoot these issues to no avail.

Most recently, the car wants to stall whenever I give it too much throttle. In neutral it is fine, but once I put it in drive, it will stall with too much. While driving, it will struggle to go into 3rd and 4th and stall out when it wants to shift into overdrive. when driving up-hill it wants to die. I have stalled completely a few times going up and over a bridge. I am very close to giving up but if I get some good suggestions on here I will do my best.

[Buzzman]

Any fault codes coming up?
Sounds an awful lot like a bad MAF sensor.
The other thing that goes bad on these engines is the distributor.
I'd start by checking those two items.

[shoupaloop]

Thank you for those two suggestions. I took off the MAF and tried cleaning the "sensors" with Brake Cleaner. Also took apart the air box to see if there were any obstructions. Put it all back together. Still having the issue. I tried to adjust the Ignition Timing by turning the distributor but I do not have a timing light.

If it is a bad MAF, should I just go ahead and replace it?

[shoupaloop]

As for fault codes. The last time I got the codes read I had:

Camshaft Position Sensor A
Knock Sensor
3rd Gear Ratio
Vehicle Speed Sensor

[rgk]

I took off the MAF and tried cleaning the "sensors" with Brake Cleaner.

Start by checking the sensors that came up in the fault codes. Brake cleaner? You might have to now add a new MAF to the purchase list.

[shoupaloop]

Well, I replaced all belts. They were all pretty worn. I also replaced the Crankshaft position sensor which was pretty much the only code consistent every time I took it to get the codes read. It drive great the first day. But has since reverted back to its old ways. Sputtering, rough/no start, rough idle, loss of power while driving, engine knocks while driving.

[shoupaloop]

Just wanted to say thank you for your advice. I went with a suggestion/presumption I had made previously though. I replaced the Fuel Pump. That was it.
So thank you again for all of your help

[04pathse]

I took off the MAF and tried cleaning the "sensors" with Brake Cleaner.

Brake cleaner?

Yes, brake cleaner is too "aggressive". They make a special cleaner for cleaning MAFS - CRC Mass Airflow Sensor Cleaner